The Promise
by Lockhart
Summary: Angst ridden Elizabeth/Romano set during Foreign Affairs


Title: The Promise  
Author: Lockhart  
Author's Notes: Don't own ER, Elizabeth Corday or Robert Romano, it's just wishful thinking... Contains spoilers for season 9, everything up to "Foreign Affairs" Basically this is just my little piece on how that particular ep should have ended. Enjoy!!  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
Elbowing her way through the crowded emergency room, Elizabeth Corday hurridly exited the hospital and ventured outside into the cold, harsh night. A flash of lightening lit up the dark, threatening skies as the heavy rainfall continued to beat down violently upon the concrete grounds. It was only then that she noticed him. Standing all alone in the haunting shadows, a distant look in his eyes as though he were far away. Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth walked towards the man, a shiver travelling it's course down her spine as she approached his side.  
"Robert" she spoke quietly, studying the man who refused to acknowledge her sudden prescense. "I heard about what happened this morning" she continued, despite receiving no response at all.   
A bitter breeze blew in the pair's direction as a rumble of fierce thunder broke the ackward silence shared between them.  
"For god's sake Robert, answer me!" she pleaded with him in desperation, placing her hand gently upon his left shoulder.  
"Don't touch me Elizabeth!" he shouted, pulling away from the woman's touch before finally turning to face her.   
The female surgeon almost stumbled back in shock as she finally caught sight of his face. Dark circles surrounded his weary eyes as he pressed his cracked, chapped lips together in annoyance. His eyes resembled a tunnel of seemingly never-ending darkness and his face was almost unreadable in the surrounding shadows. He looked like a living corpse. Cradling his arm, Robert finally met her eyes before turning his attention back to the puddles of water that lay below his feet.  
"I'm sorry, I didn't meet to shout" he spoke in a tone barely loudly than a whisper. "I'm just so damn frustrated"  
"Kerry spoke with me earlier......"  
"Figured she would" he interrupted, laughing bitterly as he shook his head. "She's probably sent a memo round the whole hospital informing of them of my...um...unfortunate incident"  
"Now that's not fair" Elizabeth replied, wrapping her arms around her body in order to preserve warmth. "Kerry does care. We all do"  
"Fair? Fair? And so Lizzie do you think my arm being severed is fair? Do you think that this torture I have to endure day after day is fair? You don't even know the meaning of the word!" he spat, casting his eyes upon her angrily.   
"Robert" she licked her lips nervously, her hands trembling as she spoke. "Come inside, it's raining out here"  
"My Lizzie you never fail to impress me with your outstanding intelligence" he replied sarcastically, flashing his usual smug grin. "I never even noticed it was raining"  
"Let me help you, please" she added, trying to bring the man some sort of possible relief. "I want to help"  
"Why?" he narrowed his eyes in judgment, taking a step towards the bewildered woman. "Will it make you feel better? Will you sleep better tonight for knowing you were a good little samaritan?" his tone was bitter and harsh.  
The skin on Elizabeth's neck crawled at his words, her voice shaking as she answered him. "It's because I care"  
"Well I don't need your sympathy or anybody else's for that matter" Robert turned away, tears evident in his eyes. "So you might as well go home and play happy families with Dr Dorso"  
"It's Dorsett actually"   
"Close enough"  
"If I didn't know you better Robert I would say you are a little jealous" she teased.  
"Jealous of what Lizzie? The fact he has you or the fact he can operate?" he turned back around to face her, squeezing back the tears in his eyes.  
"Who says he has me?"  
"It's the funniest thing ever, isn't it?" he stared ahead at the darkness, snorting at his own thoughts and musings.  
"What is?" Elizabeth asked in confusion, the echo of sirens wailing far away in the distance.  
"Everyone must be laughing at me behind my back. Robert Romano, chief of staff and surgery. Now he can't even make a pot of tea without catching fire to his arm"  
"Nobody is laughing at you Robert" the English woman shook her head in disagreement, the very thought making her feel physically sick.  
"They all believe I deserve this. That this is my punishment for being such an ass all the time. Well if this is my punishment I've certainly learned my lesson"  
"Robert....."  
"I haven't even told my family about the accident. I don't know how my mother would react to the news" he fell silent, pondering on his own thoughts.  
"What about your father?" she asked, bringing her hand to his shoulder once more as a gesture of comfort.  
"Long story, don't wish to talk about it" he spoke coldly, his face twisting in anger by the mere mention of his father. "I.....I don't know how much more of this I can take" he met her eyes once more. "I'm.....I'm useless Elizabeth. I can't do squat anymore. Sometimes....sometimes I think I might as well be off dead!"  
"Don't!" she shook him roughly by the shoulders as though this would make him suddenly see sense. "Don't talk like that. I lost my husband because he gave up the will to fight, I don't want to lose.....lose you as well. Tell me what you want from me Robert, let me help" she focused her eyes on his, pleading with the man who stood opposite to allow her to help.  
"I want you to end this nightmare" Robert whispered, a look of desperation upon his face as a lone tear trickled down his cheek. "I want to be me again"  
"Oh Robert" she choked upon her own tears, reaching over to wipe away his tears, her fingers resting gently upon his skin. "I can't promise you that this nightmare will end. Or that things will become dramatically better. But I can promise you that I will be here for you, through thick and thin. I promise"  
He smiled slightly as he raised his right hand and cupped her cheek affectionately, tenderly stroking the skin with his fingers before brushing a strand of her red, curly hair behind her ear. Pulling her towards him, he felt the delicate touch of her lips against his as he kissed her ever so lightly. "Don't break that promise" Robert warned her, his fingertips gently dancing over the base of her neck.  
  
"I have no intentions of doing so" she smiled, drawing the man into her warm embrace, as they stood there in each others arms, embracing one another tightly as the rain continued to beat down relentlessly around them.   
Fin. 


End file.
